ordinary lay wire rope manufacturer

Regular laydenotes rope in which the wires are twisted in one direction, and the strands in the opposite direction to form the rope. The wires appear to run roughly parallel to the center line of the rope. Due to the difference in direction between the wires and strand, regular lay ropes are less likely to untwist or kink. Regular lay ropes are also less subject to failure from crushing and distortion because of the shorter length of exposed outer wires.

Lang layis the opposite; the wires and strands spiral in the same direction and appear to run at a diagonal to the center line of the rope. Due to the longer length of exposed outer wires, lang lay ropes have greater flexibility and abrasion resistance than do regular lay ropes. Greater care, however, must be exercised in handling and spooling lang lay ropes. These ropes are more likely to twist, kink and crush than regular lay ropes.

Right or left layrefers to the direction in which the strands rotate around the wire rope. If the strands rotate around the rope in a clockwise direction (as the threads do in a right hand bolt), the rope is said to be right lay. When the strands rotate in a counterclockwise direction (as the threads do in a left hand bolt), the rope is left lay.

When a lay-length is used as a unit of measure, it refers to the linear distance a single strand extends in making one complete turn around the rope. Lay-length is measured in a straight line parallel to the center line of the rope, not by following the path of the strand. The appropriate time to replace a wire rope in service is frequently determined by counting the number of broken wires in the length of one rope lay.

Wire rope strength in the United States is typically shown in tons of 2,000 lbs. The wire rope strength is shown as minimum breaking force (MBF). This is a calculated strength that has been accepted by the wire rope industry. When tested on a tensile machine, a new rope will break at a value equal to- or higher than – the minimum breaking force shown for that rope. The published values apply to new, unused rope. A rope should never operate at – or near- the minimum breaking force. The minimum breaking force of the rope must be divided by the design factor required for the application to determine the maximum load allowed on the rope. During its useful life, a rope loses strength gradually due to natural causes such as surface wear and metal fatigue.

Fatigue resistance involves fatigue of the wire used to make up a rope. To have high fatigue resistance, wires must be capable of bending repeatedly under stress – for example, as a loaded rope passes over a sheave during operation. Increased fatigues resistance is achieved in a rope design by using a large number of wires. It involves both the wire properties and rope construction. In general, a rope made of many wires will have greater fatigue resistance than a same – size rope made of fewer, larger wires because smaller wires have a greater ability to bend as a rope passes over a sheave or around drums. To overcome the effects of fatigue, ropes must never bend over sheaves or drums with a diameter so small as to bend wires excessively. Standard for specific applications contain requirements for minimum sheave and drum sizes. Every rope is subject to metal fatigue from bending stress while in operation, and therefore the rope’s strength gradually diminishes as the rope is used.

Crushing is the effect of external pressure on a rope, which damages it by distorting the cross-section shape of the rope, its strands or core -or all three. Crushing resistance therefore is a rope’s ability to withstand or resist external forces, and is a term generally used to express comparison between ropes. When a rope is damaged by crushing, the wires, strands and core are prevented from moving and adjusting normally during operation. In general, IWRC ropes are more crush

resistant than fiber core ropes. Regular lay ropes are more crush resistant than lang lay ropes. 6-strand ropes have greater crush resistance than 8-strand ropes or 19-strand ropes. Compacted strand ropes are more resistant than standard round-strand ropes.

When a load is placed on a rope, torque is created within the rope as wires and strands try to straighten out. This is normal and the rope is designed to operate with this load-induced torque. However, this torque can cause both single part and multiple part hoisting systems to rotate. Load induced torque can be reduced by specially designed ropes. In standard 6 and 8- strand ropes, the torques produced by the outer strands and the IWRC are in the same direction and add together. In rotation-resistant ropes, the lay of the outer strands is in the opposite direction to the lay of the inner strands, thus the torques produced are in opposite directions and the torques subtract from each other.

We develop and manufacture strands and ropes, in the fine rope range with diameters from 0.09 to 8.0 mm, for the most diverse technical requirements, with individual specifications. This results in different requirements for the material, the rope structure and the diameter range. In our rope factory, ropes can be manufactured in different lay directions. Our standard material stainless steel 1.4401 is predominantly used for a wide variety of constructions. Depending on the requirements, we also supply ropes in special materials or process them by, for example, hammering, purifying or PU coating. We produce our ropes with fiber or steel core. We also offer conducting wire ropes of the e-rope brand. The thinnest wire processed in our rope factory for use in microtechnology has a diameter of 0.015 mm. This corresponds to 1/4 the diameter of a human hair. These wire ropes are used, for example, in medical devices. Our ropes are durable quality products and thus contribute to the sustainability of the products in which they are processed.

A wire rope is a type of cable that includes several wire strands laced together to form a single wire. Generally, both the terms “wire” and “rope” are used interchangeably with “wire rope”; however, according to the technical definition, to be labeled a wire rope, the cable must have a thickness of at least 9.52 mm. As a versatile, high load capacity alternative to natural fiber ropes such as hemp and manila, wire rope provides motion transmission through nearly all angles, tie down, counterbalance, guidance, control, or lift.

Modern wire rope was invented by Wilhelm Albert, a German mining engineer, between 1831 and 1834. He developed them in order for work in the mines in the Harz Mountains. This rope replaced weaker natural fiber ropes, like hemp rope and manila rope, and weaker metal ropes, like chain rope.

Albert’s rope was constructed of four three-stranded wires. In 1840, a Scot named Robert Stirling Newall improved upon this model. A year later in the United States, American manufacturer John A. Roebling started producing wire rope, aimed at his vision of suspension bridges. From there, other interested Americans, such as Erskine Hazard and Josiah White, used wire rope in railroad and coal mining applications. They also applied their wire rope techniques to provide lift ropes for something called the Ashley Planes project, which allowed for better transportation and increased tourism in the area.

Approximately twenty-five years later, back in Germany in 1874, the engineering firm Adolf Bleichert & Co. was founded. They used wire rope to build bicable aerial tramways for mining the Ruhr Valley. Years later they built tramways for both the Wehrmacht and the German Imperial Army. Their wire rope systems spread all across Europe, and then migrated to the USA, concentrating at Trenton Iron Works in New Jersey.

Over the years, engineers and manufacturers have created materials of all kinds to make wire rope stronger. Such materials include stainless steel, plow steel, bright wire, galvanized steel, wire rope steel, electric wire, and more. Today, wire rope is a staple in most heavy industrial processes. Wherever heavy duty lifting is required, wire rope is there to facilitate.

Wire rope is strong, durable, and versatile. Even the heaviest industrial loads may be lifted with a well-made wire rope because the weight is distributed evenly among constituent strands.

There are three basic elements of which wire ropes are composed: wire filaments, strands, and cores. Manufacturers make wire rope by taking the filaments, twisting or braiding them together into strands, and then helically winding them around a core. Because of this multiple strand configuration, wire rope is also often referred to as stranded wire.

The first component, the filaments, are cold drawn rods of metal materials of varying, but relatively small diameter. The second component, the strands, can individually consist of as few as two or as many as several dozen filaments. The last component, the core, is the central element around which strands are wrapped; wire rope cores maintain a considerable amount of flexibility, while increasing strength by at least 7.5% over the strength of fiber core wire ropes.

The helical winding of the strands around the core is known as the lay. Ropes may be right hand lay, twisting strands clockwise, or they may be left hand lay, twisting strands counter-clockwise. In an ordinary lay, the individual strands are twisted in the opposite direction of the lay of the entire rope of strands to increase tension and to prevent the rope from coming unwound. Though this is most common Lang"s lay has both the strands and the rope twisted in the same direction while alternate lays, as the name suggests alternate between ordinary and Lang style lays. While alternative rope designs are available, the helical core design is often favored, as it allows a wire cable to hold a lot of weight while remaining ductile.

There are many design aspects that wire rope manufacturers consider when they are creating custom wire rope assemblies. These include: strand gauge (varies based on application strength, flexibility, and wear resistance requirements), wire rope fittings (for connecting other cables), lay, splices, and special coatings. Specially treated steel cable and plastic coated cables, for instance, are common to many application specific variations of wire rope such as push pull cable assemblies used in transferring motion between two points.

Suppliers typically identify wire cable by listing both the number of strands and the amount of wires per strand respectively, though stranded cable may alternatively be measured by their lay and length or pitch. For example, a door-retaining lanyard wire rope is identified by its 7 x 7 construction, and wire rope used for guying purposes is identified by its 1 x 19 construction. The most common types are 6 x 19, 6 x 25, 19 x 7, 7 x 7, 7 x 19, 6 x 26, and 6 x 36.

An ungalvanized steel wire rope variety. This uncoated wire rope can also be designed to resist spinning or rotating while holding a load; this is known as rotation resistant bright wire rope.

Also called a coiled wire rope, a coiled cable is a rope made from bundles of small metal wires, which are then twisted into a coil. Wire rope and cable can come in a huge variety of forms, but coiled cables specifically provide the benefits of easy storage and tidiness. Unlike other wire ropes, coiled cables do not require a spool for storage. Because it has been coiled, the cable will automatically retract into its spring-like shape when it is not in use, making it incredibly easy to handle.

A type of high strength rope, made of several individual filaments. These filaments are twisted into strands and helically wrapped around a core. One of the most common types of wire rope cable is steel cable.

Wire rope made not as one solid piece, but as a piece made up of a series of metal links. Wire rope chain is flexible and strong, but it is more prone to mechanical failure than wire rope.

Push pull cables and controls are a particular type of control cable designed for the positive and precise transmission of mechanical motion within a given system. Unlike their counterpart pull-pull cables, these wire rope assemblies offer multidirectional control. Additionally, their flexibility allows for easy routing, making them popular in a number of industrial and commercial applications.

Iron and steel are the two most common materials used in producing wire ropes. A steel wire is normally made from non-alloy carbon steel that offers a very high strength and can support extreme stretchable forces. For even more strength and durability, manufacturers can make stainless steel wire rope or galvanized steel wire rope. The latter two are good for applications like rigging and hoisting.

Technically, spiral ropes are curved or round strands with an assemblage of wires. This gathering of wires has at least one cord situated in the opposite direction of the wire in the outer layer of the rope. The most important trait of this rope is that all the wires included are round. The biggest benefit of this category of rope is that it does not allow the entrance of pollutants, water, or moisture.

Contain an assemblage of strands placed spirally around a core. Stranded rope steel wire patterns have different layers that cross each other to form an even stronger cable or rope. Stranded ropes contain one of three types of core: a fiber core, a wire strand core, or a wire rope core.

Provide an added level of security to a manufacturing production application. Wire rope slings are made from improved plow steel wire ropes that, apart from offering added security, also provide superior return loop slings. Plow steel wire ropes improve the life of a mechanism by shielding the rope at its connection points. The key objective of wire rope slings is to enhance the safety of an application while increasing its capacity and performance. Rope slings are also available in various sling termination options, such as hook type, chokers, and thimbles.

The eye in this rope sling is made using the Flemish Splice method. Just like a typical sling, a Permaloc rope sling improves safety and provides reverse strength meaning that the uprightness of the eye does not depend on the sleeves of the metal or alloy. Additionally, permaloc rope slings offer an abrasion resistance feature that makes them long lasting.

These slings have all the features that most other slings offer. However, compared to their counterparts, Permaloc bridle slings provide better load control, wire rope resistant crushing, robust hooks and links that work for a longer duration, and help save on maintenance requirements.

Manufacturers produce wire rope for many different reasons; from cranes to playground swings, wire ropes have something for everyone. Among the many applications of wire rope are hoisting, hauling, tie down, cargo control, baling, rigging, anchoring, mooring, and towing. They can also serve as fencing, guardrails, and cable railing, among other products.

Some of the industries that make use of wire rope include industrial manufacturing, construction, marine, gas and oil, mining, healthcare, consumer goods, and transportation. Others include the fitness industry, which uses plastic coated cable products in weight machines, the theater industry, which uses black powder coated cables for stage rigging, the recreation industry, which uses plastic coated cables for outdoor playground equipment, and the electronics industry, which uses miniature wire rope for many types of electronic equipment and communications devices.

Wire ropes are typically made from cold drawn steel wire, stainless steel wire, or galvanized wire. They may also be made from a wide variety of less popular metals, including aluminum, nickel alloy, bronze, copper, and titanium. However, nearly all wire ropes, including control cables, are made from strands of cold drawn carbon steel wires. Stainless steel rope and cables are subbed in for highly corrosive environments. Galvanized cables and galvanized wire rope are popular for their increased strength and durability; these qualities are important to specialized ropes like galvanized aircraft cable.

A core may be composed of metal, fiber or impregnated fiber materials depending on the intended application. Cores may also be another strand of wire called an independent wire rope core (IWRC).

Wire rope, depending on its application, is subject to many standard requirements. Among the most common of these are the standards detailed by OSHA, ASTM International, and ISO. Per your application and industry, you’ll likely have others you need to consider. To get a full list, talk to your service provider.

To determine the safety factor, which is a margin of security against risks, the first step involves knowing the type of load that the rope will be subjected to. The load must consider the shock loads and blowing wind effects. The safety factor is characterized in ratios; typical are 4:1 and 5:1. If a ratio is 5:1, then the tensile strength of a wire rope must be five times of the load it will be subjected to. In some applications, the ratios can go up to 10:1.

By weighing all these factors carefully, the wire rope that you will buy will be safe to use and last considerably. For the best advice and guidance, though, don’t go it alone! Find a great wire rope supplier that you can trust. You’ll know you’ve found the right supplier for you when you talk to one that can not only fulfill your requirements, but shows that they are excited to go the extra mile for you. For a company like this, browse the list near the top of the page.

As the cables play an integral role in the safety of many operations and structures, careful analysis of a wire rope and all of its capabilities and features is vital. Important qualities and physical specifications you must consider include wire rope diameter, breaking strength, resistance to corrosion, difficulty of flattening or crushing, bendability, and average lifespan.

Each of the aforementioned considerations should be compatible with the specific application for which the rope is intended as well as the environment in which such operations are undertaken. Temperature and corrosive environments often require specially coated wire ropes with increased durability.

When you use your industrial wire rope, the first thing to remember is to not exceed your rope’s rated load and breaking strength. If you do not stay within these parameters, you risk causing your rope to weaken or even break.

Rust, kinks, fraying and even carefully performed splicing will all have an impact on the performance of wire ropes. To maintain the integrity of your wire rope assembly, you need to inspect them regularly and clean and lubricate them as needed. In addition, you need to store them out of the wet and cold as much as possible. Also wrap them up properly, so they are not kinked.

A high-carbon steel having a tensile strength of approximately 260,000 psi that is roughly fifteen percent stronger than Plow Steel. Most commercial wires are made from IPS.

A low carbon steel wire of approximately 10,000 psi, which is pliable and capable of repeated stresses from bending around small sheaves. This grade is effective for tillers, guys and sash ropes.

The manner in which the wires are helically wound to form rope. Lay refers specifically to the direction of the helical path of the strands in a wire rope; for example, if the helix of the strands are like the threads of a right-hand screw, the lay is known as a right lay, or right-hand, but if the strands go to the left, it is a left lay, or left-hand.

A classification of wire rope according to its breaking strength. The rank of grades according to increasing breaking strengths is as follows: Iron, Traction, Mild Plow Steel, Plow Steel, Improved Steel, Extra Improved Steel.

The act of fastening a termination to a wire rope through physical deformation of the termination about the rope via a hydraulic press or hammering. The strength is one hundred percent of the wire rope rating.

A grade of rope material that has a tensile strength range of 180,000 to 190,000 psi. Traction steel has great resistance to bending fatigue with a minimum of abrasive force on sheaves and drums, which contributes to its long use in elevators, from which the steel gets its name.

It is composed of wire strands that are braided together. Wire braid is similar to stranded wire. The difference between the two is the fact that stranded wire features strands that are bundled together, rather than braided.

Essential parts of cable assemblies, wire rope assemblies and wire rope slings that assist spliced or swaged rope ends in connecting to other cables and keeping cables and rope from unraveling.

A wire rope cable assembly is a metallic rope consisting of bundles of twisted, spiraled, or bonded wires. While the terms wire rope and cable are often used interchangeably, cables are typically designated as smaller diameter wire ropes, specifically wire ropes with a diameter less than 3/8 inch. Therefore, wire rope cable assemblies are typically utilized for lighter duty applications.

Or cable assemblies, are cables which are composed of many spiraled bundles of wire. These cables are used to support hanging objects, connect objects, pull or lift objects, secure items, and much more.

Wire rope wholesalers can sell an extensive range of wire rope and wire rope accessories at a very affordable rate as well as in bulk. Many of the additional wire rope equipment that wire rope wholesalers provide include: swivel eye pulleys, eye nuts, eye bolts, slip hooks, spring hooks, heavy duty clips, clevis hooks, turnbuckle hooks, anchor shackle pins, s hooks, rigging blocks, and much more. Wire rope fittings will generally improve the versatility of the wire and also prevent fraying.

A six strand wire rope in which three strands are ordinary lay and three strands are lang lay is known as an alternate lay wire rope and combines some of the desirable properties of both the regular lay and langs lay type of rope.

Wire rope is identified not only by its components parts, but also its construction, i.e., by the way the wires have been laid to form strands, and by the way the strands have been laid around the core.

( "a" and "c" ) shows strands as normally laid into the rope to the right - in a fashion similar to the threading in a right-hand bolt. Conversely the "left lay"rope strands (illustration "b" and "d" ) are laid in the opposite direction.

Again the first two ( "a" and "b" ) show regular lay ropes. Following ( "c" and "d" ) these are the types known as lang lay ropes. Note that the wires in regular lay ropes appear to line up with the axis of the rope; in lang lay rope the wires form an angle with the axis of the rope. This difference in appearance is a result of variations in manufacturing techniques: regular lay ropes are made so that the direction of the wire lay in the strand is opposite to the direction of the strand lay in the rope; lang lay rope are made with both strand lay and rope lay in the same direction. Finally ( "e" and "f" ) called alternate lay consists of alternating regular and lang lay strands.

Similar to regular lay, the right hand vs left hand is merely the way the wire rope closes with the strands in left hand lay rotating counterclockwise and right hand lay rotating clockwise. With lang lay rope, the wires in each strand lie in the same direction as the strands. When looking along a length of lang lay cable, the wires will appear to angle across the rope, following the general flow of the strands. Lang lay cables are more susceptible to pinching and kinking than regular lay, which best suits hoisting applications where the cable only moves along one axis. Lang lay is typically more flexible than regular lay. The third image down on the left is an example of right hand lang lay and the image below is left hand lang lay.

Now that you know about the differences and capabilities of each wire rope lay type, you can feel confident in purchasing the right lay for your wire rope applications! If you would like to check out our wire rope options, visit our website here. Alternatively, our team is happy to help if you have any questions! Reach out to us by email at sales@loosco.com or by phone at (860) 928-7981.

PREFORMING: A manufacturing process wherein the strands and their wires are permanently formed, during fabrication, the helical shape that they will ultimately assume in the finished wire rope. Proper preforming prevents the strand and wire from unlaying during normal use. The vast majority of wire ripe sold today is preformed.

FINISH: Wire rope is either sold as “bright” (or “black”), meaning uncoated, or galvanized for better corrosion resistance. “Drawn Galvanized” wire has the same strength as bright wire, but wire, “galvanized at finished size” is usually 10% lower in strength. Plastic coated wire rope is also available, usually galvanized or stainless steel cable. The most common plastic coverings are vinyl or nylon in either clear or white, although other materials and colors are available. These coating do not add strength to the wire rope itself.

LUBRICATION: During fabrication, wire ropes receive lubrication. The kind and amount depends on the rope’s size, type a use, if known. This in-process treatment will provide the finished wire rope with ample protection for a reasonable time if it is stored under proper conditions. But, when the wire rope is put into service, the initial lubrication will normally be less than needed for the full useful life of the wire rope. Because of this, periodic applications of a suitable wire rope lubricant are necessary.

ORDERING WIRE ROPE: Construction, lay, core, finish and other factors mentioned above impart greatly differing characteristics to different wire ropes. They must be understood and considered when selecting wire rope. There is no perfect wire rope for all applications; usually some less desirable properties are traded off for other, more desirable one. Refer to the Wire Rope Users Manual by the Wire Rope Technical Board for a better understanding of wire rope properties and consult professional help when in doubt.

If a supplier receives an order for 6 x 19 wire rope he may assume this to be a class reference and is, therefore, legally identified in furnishing any construction within this category.

There are many different sizes, configurations, and materials that form wire rope, and these are different types including stainless steel wire rope, galvanized wire rope, and bright wire rope.

Looking for accessories to use with wire ropes? Our rigging supplies include hardware and accessories for use with cranes, hoists & winches, and oilfield applications.

Diameter:To properly measure the diameter of steel wire ropes, measure the rope at its widest point. This is an industry standard with wire cable manufacturers and steel cable suppliers.

Grade of Steel – EIPS, EEIPS: EIPS is Extra Improved Plowed Steel and has roughly 10% more strength than IPS. EEIPS is Extra Extra Improved Plowed Steel and is approximately 10% stronger than the EIPS. We offer every variety of EIPS Wire Rope and have a one day lead time on any EEIPS ropes.

Direction of Lay: Right hand and left hand designates which way the strands wrap around the core of the steel rope. Regular lay and Lang lay specify which way the wires are formed in the helix pattern. Regular lay means the wires are rotated opposite the direction of the strands around the core. Lang lay means the wires are twisted in the same direction as the strands are wrapped around the wire rope core.

Finish – Bright Wire, Galvanized Wire, and Stainless Steel: Most wire ropes have a bright, self-colored finish hence the name. Wire ropes generally have a coating of lubricant to reduce friction and protect from corrosion. However, there are wire ropes that are galvanized, stainless steel, or coated in vinyl and other plastics.

Material of the Core: Fiber Core (FC) or Independent Wire Rope Core (IWRC) – Fiber cores are made of natural (sisal, etc.) or synthetic (polypropylene, etc.) fibers and allow for increased flexibility. IWRC offers more support to the outer strands, and have a higher resistance to crushing. IWRC also offers more resistance to heat, reduces the amount of stretch, and increases the strength of the rope.

Strands: Another variable in wire rope is how many strands make up the rope and how many wires make up one strand. For instance, a 6×26 wire rope has 6 strands around a core with 26 wires making up each strand. The 6×19 class is the most common and offers higher resistance to abrasion whereas the 6×37 class offers higher flexibility.

Although there are exceptions for special applications, the constructions in 6×36 classification are primarily designed to be the most efficient for each rope diameter. As the rope size increases, for instance, a large number of wires can be used to achieve required fatigue resistance, and still those wires will be large enough to offer adequate resistance to abrasion.

The 6×19 classification of wire ropes includes standard 6 strand, round strand ropes with 16 through 26 wires per strand. This is a good rope to withstand abrasion or crushing on the drum. Ropes with independent wire rope strands and a core (IWRC) in general, are more crush resistant than fiber core ropes.

When you purchase our 6×19 Class of wire ropes, you get more than just another rope. Manufactured in an ISO 9001 certified factory and backed by the industry’s largest staff of professional engineers, we do more than meet published specifications.

The 6×26 WS has better resistance to abrasion than a 6x25FW. It features a compact construction with solid support for the wires; therefore it has a high resistance to crushing. Its number and relative size of the inner wires add to the stability of the strand and gives it a fatigue resistance comparable to a 6×25 FW. A standard 6×26 WS construction provides the best rope for a wide range of applications. In general, we recommend the use of the 6x26WS in any application where a 6x25FW is used.

Mast Raising Lines, also called Bull Lines or Bridle Lines, are usually two pieces: each having sockets on both ends. These lines can be fabricated from either right regular lay rope or right lang lay rope. They must be fabricated from IWRC ropes.

Premium ropes may be used for specific applications. PFV cushions the strands, distributes internal stresses, keeps in wire rope lubricant and keeps out dirt and debris, extending the service life.

Flex-X® 9 features compacted strands and swaging for extra drum crushing resistance and increased stability. Its high-density strands deliver extra strength and resistance to abrasion. Flex-X® 9 is manufactured with a dual compaction process to produce a compact cross-section with minimum voids and greater surface area on outer wires that contact drums, sheaves and the rope, itself during operation. The high-density compacted strands minimize nicking at strand-to-strand contact points. Flex-X® 9 was specifically designed for boom hoist applications and tubing line applications where drum crushing is a challenge.

Flex-X® 6 users receive superior performance and increased service life in many applications compared to the ropes they had previously employed. When compared to conventional six-strand ropes, Flex-X® 6 ropes provide greater surface area and more steel per given diameter. This increases rope stability and strength. This results in a longer service life and less sheave and drum wear.

Flex-X® 19, a Category 2 rotation resistant rope, is made from 19 strands. Six strands are laid around a core strand in one direction, and then 12 strands are laid around this first operation in the opposite direction. Because of its tightly compacted smooth design, Flex-X® 19 offers more crushing resistance than standard 19×7 rope, higher strength-to-diameter, resistance to bending fatigue, exceptional stability, reduced wear to sheaves and drums, and improved handling, operating and spooling characteristics.

Left hand lay or right hand lay describe the manner in which the strands are laid to form the rope. To determine the lay of strands in the rope, a viewer looks at the rope as it points away from them. If the strands appear to turn in a clockwise direction, or like a right-hand thread, as the strands progress away from the viewer, the rope has a right hand lay. The picture of steel wire rope on this page shows a rope with right hand lay. If the strands appear to turn in an anti-clockwise direction, or like a left-hand thread, as the strands progress away from the viewer, the rope has a left hand lay. (The rope in the left hand lay photo shows one left hand lay rope from left to right and top to bottom, with 5 right hand lay strands, and part of a sixth in the upper left. It is not 5 right hand lay ropes adjacent to each other.)

Ordinary and Ducay"s lay describe the manner in which the wires are laid to form a strand of the wire rope. To determine which has been used, first identify if left or right hand lay has been used to make the rope. Then identify if a right or left hand lay has been used to twist the wires in each strand. (On ordinary lay, the outer wires approximately follow the alignment of the rope: with Lang"s lay they are cross at an angle of about 45�.) Lang"s laid rope is able to flex over sheaves more easily (with less damage) but it has the disadvantage of having a high torque tendency (it tends to untwist when tension load is applied) compared with ordinary laid rope. Untwisting can be dangerous with a steel-cored rope: load is shed from the strands and may cause the core to fail as it becomes higher loaded. For this reason, swivel termination units can be dangerous.

The specification of a wire rope type � including the number of wires per strand, the number of strands, and the lay of the rope � is documented using a commonly accepted coding system, consisting of a number of abbreviations.

For the same size and construction (ropes having the same wire sizes and lays) lang lay ropes are somewhat more flexible than regular lay and have several times the wearing surface per wire to resist abrasion—as seen in the photos below:

Both ropes shown in the photos have been ground to the same reduction of rope diameter so as to show this comparison of the abraded areas of the wires.

The lang lay ropes, as usually made, are about 15% more flexible than the same construction of regular lay ropes. But, this value will vary depending upon the relation of the strand lay to the rope lay.

On the other hand, very small sheaves or pinching grooves in sheaves are both detrimental to lang lay ropes, the latter frequently causing “bird-caging” of the rope.

The wires of the regular lay ropes are subjected to higher unit pressure when the rope is passed over sheaves or drum, causing a somewhat heavier transverse pressure within the rope structure. Thus, the “bending” stresses are somewhat higher in the regular lay rope and it is termed “stiffer.”

The mobility of and capacity of shifting among the wires is greater in the lang lay. It is this very feature, combined with the longer exposed length of wires, that causes a misplacement of the wires in the lang lay when bent over sheaves at or near the critical tread diameter, not withstanding the somewhat greater inherent flexibility of the lang lay for normal service.

While the total area of surface wear on the rope as a whole is the same for the two types of same construction ropes for a given depth of wear, the wear on the equipment and largely the rope service rendered would favor the lang lay construction.

It is therefore not the total area of worn surface of the rope as a whole, but the nature of such wear that causes longer life to the equipment and to the rope where lang lay ropes can be economically used. To explain this “nature” of wear, we show both on the photo below—lines “a-b,” the line of contact of a moving rope with the sheave; “a-b” is parallel to the direction of rope travel, that is, to the longitudinal axis of the rope.

It will be noted that in the regular lay, the line of contact is axial with one wire; in the lang lay (for the 6 x 19 Seale construction used in this comparison), the line of contact is diagonally across three worn wires.

The shorter exposed length of the worn wires in the regular lay rope causes these wires to spring up, arching radially away from the axis of the rope as in figure below. That causes heavier individual pressure of the wires on the sheave and an earlier fatigue failure of these wires at the “neck” of wear due to local reverse bending when the contact pressure with the sheave depresses this wire. The stiffer the wire (that is, the higher the strength or grade of wire), the more pronounced this arching of the wires at the thinnest worn section or “neck.”

Superior fatigue life in lang lay rope is also attributable to the longer exposed length of its outer wires. In the upper photograph of a regular lay rope (Fig. 4A), the valley-to-valley length of individual wires is about 7/8″; the length of the lang lay wires in the lower photograph is about 1-1/8″ or 30% longer. Bending the lang lay rope results in less axial bending of the outer wires and greater torsional  flexure. These combined stresses notwithstanding, the lang lay rope displays

It is said that lang lay is more flexible, but flexibility should not be confused with fatigue resistance. These two attributes may, under certain circumstances, bear some relationship, but they are distinctly separate characteristics. Flexibility defines the relative ease with which a rope “flexes” or bends. Fatigue resistance defines the rope’s ability to endure bending.

When discussing the physical properties of wire rope, people often focus on the material, strength, and size specifications above all else. While these details are essential to understand how a product will survive in the field, they are not the only factors that drive cable performance. In fact, the lay direction of a cablehas as much impact on its functionality as any of the other aforementioned characteristics, because it determines how much a cable will rotate, twist, and kink.

Lay direction describes the relationship between the way wires are wrapped into strands, and the way those strands are wrapped into wire ropes and cables. In general, there are two different configurations of lay directions: regular lay, and lang lay, which can rotate either to the left or to the right.

In a regular lay cable, the wires and strands are laid opposite to each other. In other words, all of the wires are laid in one direction as they are made into strands, and those strands are then laid in the opposite direction of the wires as they are combined into cable. When looking along a length of regular lay cable, the wires will appear to run parallel and straight the entire way. You can tell a cableis right regular lay because the strands will all flow to the right, or clockwise direction, compared to a regular left lay cable which flows the strands in a leftward, counterclockwise direction.

In a lang lay configuration, the wires and strands are laid in the same direction. If all the wires are laid to the right as they are made into strands, then those strands will also be laid to the right as they are combined into cable. The same applies to a left lang lay configuration, where both the wires and strands would lay to the left. When looking along a length of lang lay cable, the wires will appear to angle across the rope, following the general flow of the strands. You can tell a cable is a right lang lay cable because both the wires and strands will flow rightward, in a clockwise direction. A left lang lay cable flows both wires and strands in a leftward, counterclockwise direction.

Cable is generally manufactured with a standard right regular lay because it is useful for a variety of different applications and complies with most equipment. In general, regular lay cable is more resistant to crushing forces than lang lay cable of an identical material and size, though lang lay cable is typically more flexible. Lang lay cables are usually more susceptible to pinching and kinking than regular lay, which means they are better suited to hoisting applications where the cable only moves along one axis.

In summary, the wires and strands in regular lay cable flow in opposite directions while the wires and strands in lang lay cable flow in the same direction. Lang lay cable is great for lifting, hoisting, and push-pull applications, while regular lay cable outperforms in situations where bends are required. To learn about our range of flexible, non-rotating, and non-flexible wire rope and aircraft cable, visit https://strandcore.com/products/aircraft-cable/ or contact us at https://strandcore.com/contact/.

Wire ropes can be seen everywhere around us, they are made of strands or bundles of individual wires constructed around an independent core, suitable for construction, industrial, fitness, commercial, architectural, agricultural, and marine rigging applications.

Wire rod is made from high carbon steel wires(0.35 to 0.85 percent carbon) in a hot rolling process of a required diameter, usually from 5.5mm to 8 mm.

Wire rod is drawn to the required diameter by the 1st drawing machine after descaling dust and rust, adding mechanical properties suitable for application.

Positioning the wires different or the same size lay in multiple layers and same direction, or cross lay and diameter is maintained by one-third of the rope size.

So in theory, it is very simple to manufacture wire ropes. However there are many more details that must be closely monitored and controlled, and this requires time and experienced personnel since it is a super complicated project you cannot imagine.

An important consideration in wire rope construction is the way the wires have been laid to form strands and the way the strands have been laid around the core.

Lay is classified by both direction and type. The lay direction of the wires within a strand and of the strands within a rope is either left or right. Rope lay is further classified as either regular or lang. In a regular lay rope, the wires in the strands are laid in the opposite direction as the strands in the rope. In a lang lay rope, the wires in the strands are laid in the same direction as the strands in the rope.

Regular and lang lay ropes are easily identified by the appareance of the outer wires with respect to the rope axis as shown by the examples to the right.

Right regular and right lang are the most common types of lay in use. Each possesses unique characteristics important to proper selection. Wire rope can be manufactured with five types of lay.

Regular lay ropes are generally more stable and more resistant to crushing. Lang lay ropes are significantly superior in fatigue and abrasion resistance. However, lang lay ropes are more susceptible to crushing and require good winding conditions. They are also extremely prone to rotate under load; they must never be used unless both ends are restrained.

Alternate lay rope combines the best features of regular and lang lay ropes. It offers the advantages of both constructions while minimizing the disadvantages. This construction is ideal where high bending stresses (fatigue) are combined with high rope-to-sheave pressure (crushing); for example, as applied to boom hoist rope.

Combinations of lays are sometimes employed to achieve rotation resistant properties. In this 19 x 7 rope, (as well as in 8 x 19 IWRC Rotation Resistant rope), the extreme rotational property of lang lay rope is used in the core to counteract the tendency of the outer regular lay strands to rotate in the opposite direction.

A number of core types are available and each ahs specific properties: 1.Wire strand core(WSC)- The core is usually of the same construction as the outer strands. 2.Fibre core (FC)- These are normally sisal or polypropylene. 3.Independant wire rope core (IWRC)- a wire rope usually of 6x7(6/1) / 1x7(6/1) construction.

A fibre core, generally sisal, provides a resilient foundation for the strands in the rope structure. Fibre cores are used for ropes where flexibility in handling is required. Fibre Cores are inadequate where ropes are subjected to prolonged outdoor exposure and crushing on small drums and sheaves.

These cores are used chiefly for standing ropes(guys or rigging), and offer high tensile strength and, owing to the larger wire is the core , greater resistance to abrasion.

Independent wire rope cores are preferred for operating ropes in applications of high tensile stress, high compression loads on small drums and sheaves ( such as earth moving equipment) and high operating temperatures ( such as cranes handling molten metal). A rope with an IWRC is approximately 11% heavier and 7.5% stronger than fibre cored rope of the same size.

The term "lay" is used in three ways:To describe the direction in which the strands are laid in the rope, right or left. In a Right Hand lay strands are laid around the rope core in a clockwise direction - see illustration below. In a Left Hand lay, the strands are laid anti-clockwise - see illustration below. Steel Wire Ropes are conventionally produced Right Hand lay unless special circumstances require Left Hand lay.

To describe the direction in which the wires are stranded in relation to the direction of the strands in the completed rope, e.g. Ordinary lay or Lang"s lay. Ordinary lay means the wires in a strand are laid in a direction opposite to the direction in which the strands are laid in the final rope. Lang"s lay is the reverse of Ordinary lay. That is, the wires are laid in the same direction as the strands in the rope. Lang"s lay ropes have superior properties in resistance to wear, abrasion, fatigue and scuffing. This is illustrated below, where it can be seen that wear on an outer wire is distributed over a far greater area than in Ordinary lay.

Lay direction of strands for stranded ropes are right (z) or left (s) and correspond to the direction of lay of the outer wires in relation to the longitudinal axis of the strand. Lay direction of ropes are right (Z) or left (S)and correspond to the direction of lay of outer wires in spiral ropes, the outer strands in a stranded rope or the unit ropes in a cable-laid rope in relation to the longitudinal axis of the rope.

For example, the importance of rope lay is evident in a four-part high lift grab where rotation of the grab is prevented by the use of alternative right-hand and left-hand ropes.

Wire Drawing technology passed on from generation to generation, new equipment and stringent quality control in rod selection , wire drawing and closing ensure that our wire rope conform to Australian and international specifications.

Galvanised ropes and strand are made of zinc coated (galvanised) wire rope for protection against corrosion. With the increasing use of heavy-duty and more compact equipment( e.g. power winches on mobile cranes and mine winders) there is a gradual upward trend in the required rope wire tensile range. However, as factors other than strength influence the life of wire rope, the specific application must be kept in mind when the tensile strength of the wire is selected.

All our ropes are produced to comply with the requirements of the Australian standards. These standards require ropes to be produced to AS3569. Our ropes comply with these specifications and internationally recognised specifications. Our companies testing facilities are constantly engaged in the testing of both works production and samples received for examination. For investigation and customer service purposes, a non destructive testing unit is available. Enquiries concerning use of this instrument or advice on non-destructive testing in general are welcome. A full report of all site examinations is issued.

Note: Inspections must be carried out by competent individuals. If in your opinion, a wire rope has sufficient damage of any type that may result in an accident or injury, don’t use it, tag the wire rope “OUT OF SERVICE” and have it inspected or replaced.

In published material, wire rope strength is shown as minimum breaking force (MBF) referring to the calculated strength figures that are accepted by the wire rope industry. They are usually based on the use of wires of a nominal size and the minimum tensile strength or as in Europe these figures are based on an aggregate MBF, based on cross sectional area and tensile strength of wires only. The MBF is the figure which should be used for design of rope equipment.

The working load limit is the maximum load a rope can carry on a particular service. The WLL should be based on the MBF, not the actual breaking force, which can vary depending on construction and size. The design factor /safety factor for ropes in Australia under general conditions is 6:1. This may vary in certain circumstances such as an ‘engineered lift’, where design factor may be reduced if approved. Crane manufacturers may also choose to use higher design factors for certain ropes on certain crane models, as such if you are not sure always refer back to us or to the manufacturers specification. Due account should be taken of the number of parts and the efficiency, whenever the design factor of a system is being determined. Regulatory authorities or other Standards may require other design factors.

The following tables show rope mass in “kg per metre” and breaking force in “Kilo newtons” for the various constructions and categories of Wire Rope. Please note that the value varies from category to category since the various constructions contain different steel areas and variable losses occur in the wire stranding process. Wire quality has been nominated in 1570,1770,and 1960 grades for the majority of wire ropes, the value 1570, 1770 etc. corresponds to the minimum tensile strength of the wire expressed in mega Pascals. Marine ropes have been nominated at 1570 grade and general engineering ropes both un-galvanised and galvanised are nominated in 1770 grade. To calculate the approximate MBF equivalent in tons divide kilo newtons by 9.81.

Wire rope is a machine! It is the workhorse that lifts the heavy loads on wire rope hoists. As a crane technician, there is an endless amount of information you should know about wire rope. The more you understand, the better resource you can be to your customers. Luckily, you don’t need to be the expert! There are others to help you out including, crane and hoist manufacturers, wire rope manufacturers, and other crane technicians. In this article, we will talk about how Demag designs wire rope hoists, selects the wire rope for models that you can buy today, and those you will still find in the field for inspections and repair.

In the world of wire rope, lay has many meanings and definitions. First, we will go through the directional meanings. Lay can refer to the direction in which the strands are twisted around the core of the wire rope. When left hand and right hand lay is referred to like this, it is describing whether the strands are twisted clockwise (left hand) or counter-clockwise (right hand) around the core. For a frame of reference, grab the wire rope in either hand with your thumb pointing up. When the strand appears as if going up to the left, this is a Left Hand lay rope. When it appears as though it is going up to the right, this is a Right Hand lay.

Lay can also refer to the cut of the groove corkscrew in the drum and the corkscrew can go to the left or right. The wire rope will start gathering on the left-hand side of the drum in the case of a left lay and the opposite for right lay. One way to determine this is to look at the drum from the end where the rope is clamped. The term lay can be used to describe the distance of a complete wrap of a strand once around the core. When conducting a wire rope inspection, knowing how to measure the lay is critical. It is measured by determining the distance starting on the outside wrapping the strand one complete time back to the same outside position. This measurement is used to determine the maximum number of broken wires allowed within a single lay and for the number of broken wires in the same strand in a lay. Always consult your inspection criteria bodies, like CMAA and HMI, for the most up-to-date standards.

Lay can also denote whether a rope is Regular Lay or Lang Lay. Regular lay and Lang lay rope are different types of wire rope and differ based on the wire orientation in the strand. Regular lay rope wire appears as though the outermost wire surface is aligned parallel with the centerline of the wire rope axis. Lang lay rope wires appears to be at a 45 degree angle with the wire rope centerline axis. Lang lay type of rope allows for more surface contact with the groove surface on the drum or sheave, increasing the support zone and decreasing the load by spreading it out over a larger area. It is more costly to manufacture, but it can be used in special cases where better wear life for the drum and sheaves is needed. Today, Regular Lay rope is commonly used unless there is a specific design need to use Lang Lay wire rope.

Countries and industries may have different standards or best practices for wire rope. In the USA, the wire rope industry recommends using a Right Hand (RH) lay rope on a Left Hand (LH) drum corkscrew and a Left Hand (LH) lay rope on a Right Hand (RH) drum corkscrew. This is recommended for good spooling of the rope, especially on a grooveless drum. In most cases, Demag designs their wire rope hoists in violation of this best practice, but for a major engineering reason that benefits the user and for additional safety.

Demag wire rope hoists are designed for RH rope on a RH drum and LH rope on a LH drum. This design creates straighter drops of wire rope down to the bottom block as using the same strand lay and corkscrew twists the strands tighter around the core. The straighter drop eliminates interference in a 4/1 reeving configuration as the rope crisscrosses during lifting. This becomes very apparent when the lift height is around the 70 foot range. To make sure that the hoist has positive spooling, the drum is designed with a partial groove and is equipped with a rope guide with pressure rollers or a ring that keeps the rope in the groove.

When it comes to hoists configured for 4/2 reeving with 2 attachment points for the same rope, only one side of the drum follows the best practice. Since there are 2 attachment points in 4/2 reeving, one drum corkscrew is RH and the other LH. Inherent from the reeving design, close to vertical lifting is achieved and crisscrossing interference is not a concern.

Due to wear on the drum and sheaves, we will never recommend changing the lay of the rope used on a hoist when the wire rope needs changed. The existing wire rope lay has already established wear patterns on the drum and sheave that could make changing the rope with a different lay dangerous. Being able to identify or find out what type of rope is used on a wire rope hoist is key to success when wire rope needs changed.

Wire rope is a complex machine, lifting the heaviest loads like space shuttles and precast concrete components. It does the heavy lifting when a load is being lifted by a crane and wire rope hoist. Having a good understanding of wire rope is essential for all crane technicians. Being able to understand what lay means and how to determine what kind of rope is on an existing hoist is just the beginning. Not only will this knowledge allow you to be a more effective technician for your customers, but you can promote safety in the industry.

EN12385-2 Steel wire ropes – Safety – Definitions, designation and classification provides a detailed explanation of all the terms and abbreviations used when describing a wire rope and its components. Below are a few of the most common abbreviations;

Steel wire ropes are specified in terms of a Nominal Rope Diameter and when produced have a manufacturing diameter tolerance, this tolerance can vary depending upon customer requirements and specifications and is often dictated by the diameter of grooving within sheaves and drums in which the wire rope will be expected to operate. If no diameter tolerance is specified, the general diameter tolerance is, Nominal Diameter +0% to +5% as specified within various International Rope Standards (EN12385-4, API-9A, ISO 2408). However, please note other diameter tolerances may be applied to ‘small’ diameter ropes and ropes used for specific applications/industries e.g. Mining, Aerials, Elevators, etc.

When designing any rope operated equipment, designers should consider the relevant National and/or International Standards which refer to acceptable sheave and drum diameters based upon the application, industry, etc. The diameter of sheaves and drums together with the tension, are normally associated with overall service life of the rope and in ‘simple terms’ the larger the diameter the longer the service life, although consideration should also be given to the anticipated modes of rope deterioration which will also significantly affect the service life. Typically, the diameter of sheaves and drums for crane applications are 16 to 28 times the nominal rope diameter.

Wire ropes are generally subjected to a visual examination and specifically for crane ropes these is an International Standard ISO 4309 “Cranes – Wire ropes – Care and maintenance, inspection and discard” which provides guidance on the inspection of wire ropes and provide the discard criteria. The document also includes information on the Magnetic testing of roper in service / Non-Destructive Examination and how this can assist the competent person in combination with his visual examination, determine the overall condition of the rope. All wire ropes should be inspected on a routine basis by a competent person to ensure that they remain is a good condition whilst in service and removed from service before they become dangerous. However, this standard is used for offering guidance for ropes operating in other systems where no specific discard criteria are given for that application, industry or country in which the rope is operating.

Please note, wire ropes can cause death and/or serious injury if not correctly handles, operated and maintained to good condition and care should always be taken when work with or close to wire ropes.

A new rope can easily be damaged if the pulley wheel groove is too tight, this will in effect pinch the rope probably causing a wave (spiral) deformity in your new rope.

If left unchecked in a steel pulley, parallel, linear fatigue wire breaks will be found where the contact pressures have become too high, due to a pinch affect.

The Lang’s construction, due to the wires running across the axis of the rope is the same direction as the strand, provides a greater length of wire on the exterior surface of the rope and hence since there is an increased surface area there is an increased area of steel to wear away before a broken wire occurs, therefore offering greater wear resistance. Therefore, applications where the rope is operating over larger number of support rollers and/or sheaves, the Lang’s lay rope may be of benefit.

The direction of the wires within the Lang’s lay construction also reduces the level of mechanical damage and rope interference, which takes place between adjacent wraps of rope within the crossover zones during multi-layer spooling of wire rope.

It is important to state that, single layer strand and parallel laid, rope constructions, manufactured in Lang’s lay, MUST NOT be used with one end free to rotate. Since the wires and the strands as twisted in the same direction, if the rope is free to rotate the wires and the strands will untwist tighter and seriously affect the integrity and breaking strength of the rope.

Wire ropes may be considered as machines, each with approximately 200 to 300 individual wires, which move independently to each over whenever ropes operate around sheaves or spool on or off winch drums, therefore ensuring ropes are lubricated internally will minimise the level of friction between the individual wires and optimise the ropes bend fatigue performance. Lubricant internally and externally will protect the ropes from corrosion and this applies equally to both un-galvanised/bright ropes and galvanised rope. Although the zinc on the surface of the individual wires of a galvanised rope will protect the wires from corrosion, once the zinc has sacrificed itself (oxidised) to protect the steel, the wires are then susceptible to corrosion. The longer the zinc can be protected by the lubricant the longer the zinc remains to offer protection to the steel. However there are applications where internal or external lubricant on the rope may not be advisable, anywhere the lubricant could drop off the rope and contaminate products (paper, food, etc.) in the vicinity of the rope or where the lubricant on the exterior of the rope may be contaminated with debris in the atmosphere (grit, sand, etc.). In this application, it must be acce